UPGRADED BRIDGE TO PARK PROPOSED

Civic San Diego seeks funds from SANDAG to improve downtown link

With redevelopment property taxes no longer available, the city’s revitalization agency plans to ask the San Diego Association of Governments on Friday for aid in improving the approach to Balboa Park.

Civic San Diego, the successor to the Centre City Development Corp., is seeking $175,000 to plan the beautification of the key Sixth Avenue bridge that links the park to downtown.

The application is one of nine the city is submitting as part of SANDAG’s smart-growth incentive program, which will dole out $9.6 million in planning and construction grants. The money comes from the locally approved Transnet sales taxes for transportation, administered by SANDAG.

Stephan Vance, SANDAG’s senior regional planner, said the first round of grants in 2009 brought $43 million in requests, nearly five times the amount available. He said the goal is to support examples of smart-growth projects that promote walkability and less reliance on cars.

The request was reviewed Wednesday by a CivicSD committee.

If CivicSD is successful, construction could get under way by year’s end, and the planning grants could lead to implementation if SANDAG and the city allocate funds in future rounds, said Brad Richter, the agency’s assistant vice president for planning.

Richter said the projects come with city matching funds in some cases and can be built quickly.

The wish list includes:

Sixth Avenue Bridge over I-5: A $175,000 planning grant would cover the widening of the sidewalk, adding landscaping and eliminating several parking spaces on the side of the bridge. Actual construction would depend on receiving additional grants.

Five Points intersection: A $360,000 construction grant, matched by $450,000 from the city, would be used to build a landscaped median, add a neighborhood sign and make other improvements at the intersections beneath Interstate 5 at Washington Street in this Middletown neighborhood.

East Village Green: A two-block park at 14th, 15th streets, E and F streets plus the proposed 14th Street Promenade is designed to attract new residential and commercial development and serve existing residents; requested is a $300,000 planning grant matched by $100,000 from downtown developer impact fees.